How to lose money while running a restaurant or two.

[sparr]

Two experiences this week with overpopular restaurants have driven me to write this post.

The Vortex (L5P) is often packed, with hour+ waiting lines out the door in the cold. They have another location about 4 miles away that is often sparsely populated at the same times. Here's a crazy idea... Offer a % off their meal, or free parking, or something of similar value, for a party of 8+ to go to the other location. You are going to lose their business when they find out there's a 2 hour wait, why not salvage it?

The Majestic is also often packed, with faster moving lines out the door also in the cold. Tonight I arrived around 3AM to find a Fulton County Sheriff manning the door. I walked in, alone, to take a seat at the counter (which had 3-4 empty seats), and he told me to get to the back of the line. The line full of parties of 2-6. WTF? Majestic, you just lost a customer, probably for a substantial number of potential future visits, until I'm desperate enough to come back.

Comments

[luckygirl74.livejournal.com]

going to the L5P location of the Vortex has nothing to do with the food at the Vortex. It is a place where the motorcycle guys go to hang out and drink beer. Motorcycle guys won't go to the midtown location because there is no place to show off your bikes. For everyone else that goes there it is 99.98% cultural experience of "Little Five Points" and not the food in any way.

The door cop at the majestic is just lame.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

write to both restaurants? these are things worth mentioning.